Blanket Disaster

Kendra · 01-15-2007, 10:25 AM

Had a MAJOR blanket disaster yesterday

My guys wear winter blankets 24/7.

Saturday I turned the horses out and was puttering in the barn. All of a sudden we could hear the horses tearing around outside. This was within 10-15 minutes of them going out.
I went out to look and the whole gang was flat out on the far side of the pasture ~ I mean these guys were flying!!!!!!

They rounded the far end of the pasture and when they headed back I could see that our palomino AQHA gelding, Cash, had his blanket in shreds and it was dragging behind him and only holding on by the buckles around his neck.

He was trying to stay with the other horses but everytime he got close that wet, mudding flapping blanket sent them off again ~ he got several good kicks in the chest whenever he got close to them. Also because they were running in a tight group the others kept stepping on his blanket so they were all stumbling - him when they stepped on the blanket and them when he pulled it out from under their feet.
But they kept doing flat out laps of the field with that blanket chasing the bunch.

I went out and tried to whoa him to get the blanket off but they were all in a panic.

Finally after almost getting run over a million times by a herd of a dozen panicked horses I yelled at my daughter to open the barn door and let him in.

As soon as she opened the door, Cash, ran for it at full speed and raced down the barn aisle with the blanket from h*** chasing him.
He went straight into his stall and stood their just shaking all over. He was literally heaving. My daughter didn't even try unbuckling what was left of his blanket ~ she grabbed the scissors off the feed box and cut it off him.

I've never seen a horse that terrified ~ his knees were buckling and you could feel his heart pounding out of his chest. We got a cooler on him ~ poor boy actually let us put another flapping thing on him ~ and we walked him for almost an hour before his heart rate and breathing started to slow.

I have no idea what transpired to shred that blanket in the first place.
He does play rear up games all the time with with my 2 year old so maybe Spider caught a foot in the blaket and ripped it????

What ever it was happened so fast. Cash is usually very spook proof. I think it was the 'mob mentality.' Once the herd got going they weren't going to stop. The rest of the horses were on the alert for another 1/2 hour, cantering around and snorting.

My daughter rode Cash last night and he was his usual sweet self so hopefully no lasting trauma although we'll see next time I take him out for a buggy ride

Touche · 01-15-2007, 10:34 AM

Oh my, I am so sorry.
I have tears rolling down my face over this.

Would have been awful for you, I sit here and am glad it wasn't me.
Sorry again for laughing hysterically at this.
I had this picture in my mind of the whole thing.

It was a good thing you were there when it happened though, really could have turned into a disaster.

kindredspiritsia · 01-15-2007, 10:37 AM

What a traumatic experience. I applaud your daughter's ability to remain level headed and take care of the matter. I am glad there weren't any serious injuries, Definately someone watching over your family and your horses that day

.

almost_mozart · 01-15-2007, 11:04 AM

Whew! Glad everything's all right.

My barrel coach's miniature got one of those plastic deck chairs stuck around his neck one time. He walked around the pasture, totally calm, but the horses and cattled freaked out and ran circles like mad until they were "rescued."

The funny, dangerous things that horses get themselves into.

kindredspiritsia · 01-15-2007, 11:10 AM

I am laughing my hinnie off at that one, Mozart. I can just picture that! OH! Too funny!

sunny · 01-15-2007, 11:32 AM

Glad all is fine, and all okay.
People dont realize it but Blankets can be real trouble, if not watched over. Sometimes even death, just trying to protect our horses from the elements of mother nature.
Thank god this didnt come to that, but if someone wasnt there who knows.
I had heard over the many years with horses, alot of people lost there horses and numerous newborn foals over a blanket accident, They can get shifted, horse panics, or other horses panics and horses flip out. Doesnt matter how many times they wore that blanket, sometimes things happern.
I dont even use mine anymore, unless its a trailer ride, or standing in the stall.

jkbplay · 01-15-2007, 12:19 PM

Oh my! How terrible. I agree with sunny on the blanket thing. But, I must admit that (since noone was hurt badly and all turned out okay) that it does ring a little funny when told. Bless his heart, he musta thought the gates of h*** had opened up and had something chasing him.

Glad to hear noone was hurt and all is well.

Karen Cole · 01-15-2007, 12:26 PM

Iam so sorry I can't stop laughing either....it's funny because nobody was hurt. Also I can see my horse doing that.......his blanket is duct taped so much I think theres more tape than fabric. He has been known to lead the others around with thier halters and chase them with the rubber feed tubs. Thats a site this huge palomino with a floppy rubber tub running after the mares.

And the horse/pony with the chair on his neck...OMG did you get a photo?? A video??? That could be worth thousands.

Karen Cole

Kendra · 01-15-2007, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkbplay

Oh my! How terrible. I agree with sunny on the blanket thing. But, I must admit that (since noone was hurt badly and all turned out okay) that it does ring a little funny when told. Bless his heart, he musta thought the gates of h*** had opened up and had something chasing him.

Glad to hear noone was hurt and all is well.

After the fact I can say it was as crazy as you are imagining it (not at the time because he was in true terror) but the funniest part is his blanket was bright purple.

They must have thought Barney was running amok!!!!

He's a pretty laid back guy and I sure if he had been alone I think he would have just hauled that blanket around until I came out to save him but when one spooked they all spooked and it just snowballed.

My son's pony comes in everyday with his blanket half off?????
The other day he had my daughter's 17 hand TB's blanket by the butt in his mouth and was pulling with all his might (the pony is maybe 10 hands) ~ it was pretty hilarious.

Kendra · 01-15-2007, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karen Cole

Iam so sorry I can't stop laughing either....it's funny because nobody was hurt. Also I can see my horse doing that.......his blanket is duct taped so much I think theres more tape than fabric. He has been known to lead the others around with thier halters and chase them with the rubber feed tubs. Thats a site this huge palomino with a floppy rubber tub running after the mares.

And the horse/pony with the chair on his neck...OMG did you get a photo?? A video??? That could be worth thousands.

Karen Cole

Must be a palomino thing - lol.

No photo or video here~ as I said the whole herd was petrified!!!

I'm just glad that when the barn door opened he headed for the safety of his stall.

The blacksmith was shoeing my daughter's horse in the aisle as Cash flew around the corner with the blanket flapping behind him.

I didn't see the look on either his face or the horse's but I bet it was priceless.

Karen Cole · 01-15-2007, 03:23 PM

Could be a palomino thing if Scooter can get into trouble he will get into trouble!!! We had to stop putting halters on the horses because he leads them around then while he is pulling the halters come undone and get lost!! He has been known to just be walking past the horses and then suddenly jump, turn and gallop bucking through them. You want to talk SCATTER!!!! None are even close to as big as he is!!!! They see him comming and

it's great........unless Iam out there with him. He gets enough air his belly is over my head (Iam 4'10 they say at 30 something I am done growing

)

We also call him Moose he goes about 16hands and is a good 1,300 + pounds. I'd like to put him on a scale I know my sisters horse was 1,200 when he got sick and Scooter is bigger than him by a longshot!!

Karen

CoppysGirl · 01-15-2007, 03:39 PM

[quote="Karen Cole"]He has been known to lead the others around with thier halters and chase them with the rubber feed tubs.quote]

Oh dear, that is the epitome of Gabriel, my mini! I don't dare leave my halter on my appaloosa because Gabe will grab the bottom of it, and lead Coppy all over! Also, he has an "oral fixation" as I call it.. I can't take the grooming bucket out without him pouring over the contents. He loves to take the brushes out and run around with them in his mouth. We learned not to leave buckets of water in Gabe's stall (on the ground) because he'll use his feet (or mouth) to flip the bucket, and then he walks around with it... he actually bites the handle and walks around with it. It kind of looks like he's saying "Give me.. water.. soo.. thirsty.." and you just want to smack him and say "It's over there on the floor silly!"

beckyp · 01-16-2007, 07:38 AM

That sounds like my daughter's 2 horses-both have torn their blankets off in the past month. Her mare even managed to hang hers on something and she has a gash on her chest from whatever she got it caught on. So those 2 blankets are tore up beyond repair. The pony's is all shifted around and she won't let me near enough to her to put lead rope over her neck so I can straighten it up. I pulled my TB's off of him when the temps were in the 60s-now will probably have to put it in dryer to get it dry and then put it back on him.

Kendra · 01-17-2007, 07:31 AM

Last night my daughter's TB was running around waving my son's pony's blanket over his head????

Poor Toto was shivering against the barn buck naked

Bunch of bad kids ~ no carrots for you!!!

Ok ~ maybe just one

01-15-2007, 10:25 AM
Kendra Started Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Southern Ontario Posts: 2,211	Blanket Disaster Had a MAJOR blanket disaster yesterday My guys wear winter blankets 24/7. Saturday I turned the horses out and was puttering in the barn. All of a sudden we could hear the horses tearing around outside. This was within 10-15 minutes of them going out. I went out to look and the whole gang was flat out on the far side of the pasture ~ I mean these guys were flying!!!!!! They rounded the far end of the pasture and when they headed back I could see that our palomino AQHA gelding, Cash, had his blanket in shreds and it was dragging behind him and only holding on by the buckles around his neck. He was trying to stay with the other horses but everytime he got close that wet, mudding flapping blanket sent them off again ~ he got several good kicks in the chest whenever he got close to them. Also because they were running in a tight group the others kept stepping on his blanket so they were all stumbling - him when they stepped on the blanket and them when he pulled it out from under their feet. But they kept doing flat out laps of the field with that blanket chasing the bunch. I went out and tried to whoa him to get the blanket off but they were all in a panic. Finally after almost getting run over a million times by a herd of a dozen panicked horses I yelled at my daughter to open the barn door and let him in. As soon as she opened the door, Cash, ran for it at full speed and raced down the barn aisle with the blanket from h*** chasing him. He went straight into his stall and stood their just shaking all over. He was literally heaving. My daughter didn't even try unbuckling what was left of his blanket ~ she grabbed the scissors off the feed box and cut it off him. I've never seen a horse that terrified ~ his knees were buckling and you could feel his heart pounding out of his chest. We got a cooler on him ~ poor boy actually let us put another flapping thing on him ~ and we walked him for almost an hour before his heart rate and breathing started to slow. I have no idea what transpired to shred that blanket in the first place. He does play rear up games all the time with with my 2 year old so maybe Spider caught a foot in the blaket and ripped it???? What ever it was happened so fast. Cash is usually very spook proof. I think it was the 'mob mentality.' Once the herd got going they weren't going to stop. The rest of the horses were on the alert for another 1/2 hour, cantering around and snorting. My daughter rode Cash last night and he was his usual sweet self so hopefully no lasting trauma although we'll see next time I take him out for a buggy ride

01-15-2007, 10:34 AM
Touche Started Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 2,030	Oh my, I am so sorry. I have tears rolling down my face over this. Would have been awful for you, I sit here and am glad it wasn't me. Sorry again for laughing hysterically at this. I had this picture in my mind of the whole thing. It was a good thing you were there when it happened though, really could have turned into a disaster. __________________ Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people. W.C.Fields

01-15-2007, 10:37 AM
kindredspiritsia Started Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Iowa Posts: 2,325	What a traumatic experience. I applaud your daughter's ability to remain level headed and take care of the matter. I am glad there weren't any serious injuries, Definately someone watching over your family and your horses that day . __________________ In Loving Memory of my Grandpa and Best Friend, Stanley Howard Sherer Oct.3,1932-Mar.25,2007

01-15-2007, 11:04 AM
almost_mozart Started Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: .....transitioning..... Posts: 2,421	Whew! Glad everything's all right. My barrel coach's miniature got one of those plastic deck chairs stuck around his neck one time. He walked around the pasture, totally calm, but the horses and cattled freaked out and ran circles like mad until they were "rescued." The funny, dangerous things that horses get themselves into.

01-15-2007, 11:10 AM
kindredspiritsia Started Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Iowa Posts: 2,325	I am laughing my hinnie off at that one, Mozart. I can just picture that! OH! Too funny! __________________ In Loving Memory of my Grandpa and Best Friend, Stanley Howard Sherer Oct.3,1932-Mar.25,2007

01-15-2007, 11:32 AM
sunny Yearling Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Maryland Posts: 952	Glad all is fine, and all okay. People dont realize it but Blankets can be real trouble, if not watched over. Sometimes even death, just trying to protect our horses from the elements of mother nature. Thank god this didnt come to that, but if someone wasnt there who knows. I had heard over the many years with horses, alot of people lost there horses and numerous newborn foals over a blanket accident, They can get shifted, horse panics, or other horses panics and horses flip out. Doesnt matter how many times they wore that blanket, sometimes things happern. I dont even use mine anymore, unless its a trailer ride, or standing in the stall. __________________ http://www.twincreekfarminfo.com

01-15-2007, 12:19 PM
jkbplay Yearling Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 759	Oh my! How terrible. I agree with sunny on the blanket thing. But, I must admit that (since noone was hurt badly and all turned out okay) that it does ring a little funny when told. Bless his heart, he musta thought the gates of h*** had opened up and had something chasing him. Glad to hear noone was hurt and all is well. __________________ K- You grow up the day you have your first real laugh - at yourself. - Ethel Barrymore

01-15-2007, 12:26 PM
Karen Cole Started Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,687	Iam so sorry I can't stop laughing either....it's funny because nobody was hurt. Also I can see my horse doing that.......his blanket is duct taped so much I think theres more tape than fabric. He has been known to lead the others around with thier halters and chase them with the rubber feed tubs. Thats a site this huge palomino with a floppy rubber tub running after the mares. And the horse/pony with the chair on his neck...OMG did you get a photo?? A video??? That could be worth thousands. Karen Cole

01-15-2007, 03:23 PM
Karen Cole Started Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,687	Could be a palomino thing if Scooter can get into trouble he will get into trouble!!! We had to stop putting halters on the horses because he leads them around then while he is pulling the halters come undone and get lost!! He has been known to just be walking past the horses and then suddenly jump, turn and gallop bucking through them. You want to talk SCATTER!!!! None are even close to as big as he is!!!! They see him comming and it's great........unless Iam out there with him. He gets enough air his belly is over my head (Iam 4'10 they say at 30 something I am done growing ) We also call him Moose he goes about 16hands and is a good 1,300 + pounds. I'd like to put him on a scale I know my sisters horse was 1,200 when he got sick and Scooter is bigger than him by a longshot!! Karen

01-15-2007, 03:39 PM
CoppysGirl Yearling Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 901	[quote="Karen Cole"]He has been known to lead the others around with thier halters and chase them with the rubber feed tubs.quote] Oh dear, that is the epitome of Gabriel, my mini! I don't dare leave my halter on my appaloosa because Gabe will grab the bottom of it, and lead Coppy all over! Also, he has an "oral fixation" as I call it.. I can't take the grooming bucket out without him pouring over the contents. He loves to take the brushes out and run around with them in his mouth. We learned not to leave buckets of water in Gabe's stall (on the ground) because he'll use his feet (or mouth) to flip the bucket, and then he walks around with it... he actually bites the handle and walks around with it. It kind of looks like he's saying "Give me.. water.. soo.. thirsty.." and you just want to smack him and say "It's over there on the floor silly!"

01-16-2007, 07:38 AM
beckyp Seasoned Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: utica,ky Posts: 4,509	That sounds like my daughter's 2 horses-both have torn their blankets off in the past month. Her mare even managed to hang hers on something and she has a gash on her chest from whatever she got it caught on. So those 2 blankets are tore up beyond repair. The pony's is all shifted around and she won't let me near enough to her to put lead rope over her neck so I can straighten it up. I pulled my TB's off of him when the temps were in the 60s-now will probably have to put it in dryer to get it dry and then put it back on him. __________________ If not at home try the barn.

01-17-2007, 07:31 AM
Kendra Started Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Southern Ontario Posts: 2,211	Last night my daughter's TB was running around waving my son's pony's blanket over his head???? Poor Toto was shivering against the barn buck naked Bunch of bad kids ~ no carrots for you!!! Ok ~ maybe just one